Arkansas Ozarks Waterkeeper (formerly White River Waterkeeper) formed in 2016 to hold regulatory agencies accountable for implementing protections set forth by law in the Clean Water Act, with a particular focus on looming issues with the Buffalo National River.

 

The Ozark River Stewards sprang up a few years earlier as a true grassroots movement to save not just the Buffalo River, but all Ozark waterways vulnerable to degradation due to the porous limestone substrate known as karst. The Ozark River Stewards worked with other organizations, including  Buffalo River Watershed Alliance and White River Waterkeeper, and the end result was the closure of an industrial scale hog operation which had introduced massive amounts of waste into the Buffalo River watershed.

 

The Arkansas Ozarks Waterkeeper organization understands that our shared water resources need and deserve all the protection they can get. We are ready to work with the public to identify issues and network with other groups to ensure that our rivers and streams are cleaner and healthier as time goes on.

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Jessie Green did much to establish a Waterkeeper presence in our region. We are grateful for her efforts and eager to build upon the foundation she began.